If you are pushing through the Bakumatsu era in Nioh 3, you are going to hit a massive difficulty wall in the Nijo Castle region. Born from Tokugawa Kunimatsu’s festering hatred for his brother Takechiyo, the Demon of Obsession is a massive ikiryo—a living human soul moving on its own accord. Armed with a grotesque stomach-face and a massive hand cannon, this optional boss will absolutely flatten you if you walk in unprepared.
As a seasoned player who has died to his unblockable grab attack more times than I care to admit, I can tell you that treating this fight like a standard Yokai brawl is a mistake. You need a dedicated strategy centered around elemental exploitation and Ki management.
Here is exactly where to find the Demon of Obsession, what weaknesses to exploit, and how to survive his devastating moveset.
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Quick Overview: Demon of Obsession
| Feature | Details |
| Era / Location | Bakumatsu 1864 CE / Abandoned Temple Outskirts (Nijo Castle) |
| Recommended Level | 130+ |
| Elemental Weakness | Saturated (Water) |
| Resistances | Electrified, Blustered, Poisoned |
| Key Rewards | Demon of Obsession Soul Core, Transformed Art: Kurama Sword Dance Wind, Shinsengumi Set |
Where to Find the Demon of Obsession
The Demon of Obsession is tucked away in the Abandoned Temple Outskirts on the western edge of the Nijo Castle map. Because it is an optional boss, you have to go slightly out of your way to trigger the encounter.
- Start at the Horikawa Market Shrine.
- Push through and clear the Lesser Crucible to gain access to Mibu Castle.
- Look for Kunimatsu’s shadow lingering near the stairs just past the bamboo thicket.
- Follow the shadow trail. It will lead you directly into the Abandoned Temple Outskirts boss arena. Make sure to activate the two shrines along this path so you have a quick run-back.
(Note: You will fight this boss a second time during the “Shadows of the Three Oni” sub-mission, where his damage and aggression are significantly dialed up.)
How to Beat the Demon of Obsession
This boss is a hulking brute that hits like a freight train, but his attacks are heavily telegraphed. Whether you are running a heavy Samurai build or a nimble Ninja setup, the core strategy remains the same: inflict Saturated, respect the poison puddles, and bait his slow recoveries.
1. Exploit the Water Weakness (Saturated)
The Demon of Obsession is highly vulnerable to Water damage, which inflicts the Saturated status effect, massively increasing the physical damage he takes.
Onmyo Magic: Prepare Water Familiar and Water Shot Talismans.
Ninjutsu: Equip the Uncanny Bubble ability.
Soul Cores: The Demon of Pride’s Soul Core provides an excellent Water-based Summoning Seal.
Weapons: Imbue your primary weapon with Water using amulets or inherent stats.
2. Manage the Arena (Poison and Wind)
Throughout the fight, the boss will vomit poison puddles onto the ground. Do not fight him inside these pools. The tick damage will drain your health faster than an Elixir can heal it. Constantly rotate around the arena to keep fighting on clean ground. Additionally, stack Wind Resistance on your armor, as many of his cannon blasts and tornado summons deal heavy Wind damage.
3. Buff Up: Talismans and Soul Cores
Before engaging, pop a Power Pill or Power Talisman (remember, they don’t stack, they just overwrite each other). If you have the points, the Awakening skill (costing only 3 points) is mandatory here, as it speeds up your talisman casting animations, preventing you from getting clipped by a stray cannonball while buffing.
Recommended Utility Soul Cores:
- Scampuss: Rapidly shreds the boss’s Ki.
- Mermaid (Life Leech): Keeps you topped off through chip damage.
- Otoroshi (Barrier): Essential for fast Ki regen and dispelling the Yokai Realms he summons.
4. Countering the Moveset
The Stomach Grab (Unblockable): When dark energy swirls around the giant face on his stomach, he is about to lunge and devour you. You cannot block this. Dodge backward or diagonally past his flanks immediately.
Cannon Smash & Body Slam: He uses his immense weight to crush you. The wind-up is slow. Samurai builds can block the initial cannon swings, but you must dodge the Body Slam, as it is a massive AoE that will shatter your Ki.
Burst Attack (Red Aura): He will glow red and attempt a devastating cannon smash. This is your biggest opening. Time your Burst Counter perfectly to deal massive Ki damage and stagger him.
Floating Cannonball: He fires a green projectile into the air that tracks your position before slamming down and exploding. Do not stop moving when you see this go up.
5. Secure the Kill with Living Artifact
Save your Living Artifact for the final 30% of his health bar. During this phase, his attack chains become longer and he summons green tornadoes to protect his flanks. Pop your Living Artifact to gain invulnerability and unlimited Ki, and spam your highest-damage Water-imbued Martial Arts to burn him down before your gauge depletes.
The Loot: What You Get
Defeating the Demon of Obsession yields excellent mid-to-late game gear.
Demon of Obsession Soul Core:
- Yang: Conjures the demon to attack enemies.
- Yin (Hellgust Talisman): Summons a wide-area tornado.
- Transformed Art: Kurama Sword Dance Wind (Excellent for Ninja Sword builds).
- Armor Sets: High drop rates for Shinsengumi, Scion of Tamura, and Gallant Thief sets.
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FAQs
Q: I keep running out of Ki trying to block his cannon swings. What am I doing wrong?
A: You are trying to block too much. While Samurai builds can block his normal hits, his heavy cannon slams deal massive Ki damage. Equip a Barrier Talisman (Otoroshi Soul Core) for faster Ki regen, and focus on dodging into his attacks to get behind him rather than absorbing the blows.
Q: Is there any way to cleanse the poison puddles he leaves on the ground?
A: No, you cannot dispel the poison puddles like you can Yokai Realms. You have to physically avoid them. Keep Antidotes on your shortcut bar in case you clip the edge of one.
Q: My Burst Counter keeps missing when he does his Red Aura attack. Why?
A: You are likely countering too early. The wind-up for his Burst Attack cannon smash is deceptively slow. Wait for the downward swing to actually begin before hitting your Burst Counter.
Q: Does the “Shadows of the Three Oni” rematch drop different loot?
A: The loot pool is largely the same, but the item levels and rarity chances are scaled higher for the sub-mission, making it a great place to farm the Shinsengumi set or a high-level Nosada Dual Katana.
